Why I’m Giving Away Lots of Stuff

I am feeling a bit burdened by stuff lately. Although we live in a 2 bedroom apartment, its mind boggling how much stuff you can accumulate, store neatly and actually not need. ‘Retail therapy’ was a thing for me for many years, only at the ripe old age of 40 something have I started to lose interest in this past time. The shops just don’t excite me like they used to, the short lived buzz is becoming more and more empty … and all of this stuff I find myself surrounded by is weighing me down emotionally!

Why do we need bigger houses, more storage and too much space than we know what to do with?

I get so confused and disheartened when I hear people complaining that they need more space, for their little family. Why are we so uncomfortable in close proximity to our loved ones? Humans build parent retreats, teen retreats and take up so much precious space on the earth so that they can create as much distance as possible from each other. I find this so sad.

The pursuit of who has the most and best stuff is not a new one. It is too easy to get swept up into the comparison trap, it is pretty much never ending and you will most likely find yourself late in life with a lot of stuff and a lot of regrets.

I suspect that very few of us will look back on our lives and wish that we had more stuff. Its much more likely that we will look back and wish we had spent less of our time and less of our money on the stuff that we cannot take with us. More storage will not solve feelings of emptiness, more stuff will not fill the hole in your heart. It will only leave you more empty in the long run.

It is so hard to turn away from the relentless pressure of the media that MORE is going to make you happy, healthy and solve all of your problems. Finally we are seeing a wave of energy for a life with more meaning and less stuff.

I’m currently doing a stocktake of all my furniture and belongings, and deciding what is really needed, what brings us joy, and what would be better off donated to charity. I have booked in a furniture pick up with Vinnies for the week before Christmas and I’m so excited about giving away lots of stuff! My aim is to give away 50% of the stuff! I feel lighter just thinking about it and getting it all organised.

The sense of freedom and calm that comes from sorting and giving away your stuff is amazing!

Here are some of the benefits I have found in a more minimal way of living:

♡ Less clutter and less stuff = more clarity and more space to welcome in creativity.

♡ The empty buzz of shopping as therapy can be replaced with more meaningful projects.

♡ You can set a different example to the one that our precious kids are bombarded with in the media!

♡ A more organised house and spending less time searching through stuff to find stuff makes life a lot easier.

♡ Huge cost savings! Think about how much you have spent on stuff that is not necessary or not giving you joy!

♡ Stuff is a distraction, from what really matters in life. Less stuff = more time to focus on creating a life that you truly love.

♡ Less stress and comparison! Imagine the freedom in not always comparing yourself to others?

♡ The joy of giving away lots of stuff is simply beyond compare!

♡ A sense of inner peace and calm will become your natural state.

Have you ever done a stocktake of your stuff and embraced a more minimal way of living?